Last summer Julia Stamps Mallon had just moved back from the East Coast to her hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif. In need of an Olympic marathon trials qualifying time, Stamps Mallon, the 1994 Foot Locker champion, entered the Santa Rosa Marathon. She came away the overall winner, in 2:44:17, and with so much enthusiasm for the race, she's now the race coordinator.

The marathon runs two loops along the Santa Rosa Creek, passing through vineyards and farmland. "It's absolutely beautiful, completely flat and shaded," Stamps Mallon says. The route is paved, save one 2.5-mile section of hard-packed dirt trail, and has been a boon for Boston Marathon qualifiers. Stamps Mallon touts the simplicity: "You pull up, you park, you go to the bathroom, you start the race." Post-race amenities include a farmers market with fresh local produce. Though the three events have added capacity this year, in the past the race has filled by mid-July. More information can be found at www.thesantarosamarathon.com.